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UPDATE JUNE 12, 2012: This review has been updated with the results of the SR95UT ("Ultimate Thrower"). The SR95UT is a limited edition version of the SR95, with the Luminus SBT-90 emitter.

UPDATE DECEMBER 22, 2012: The previous limited-edition SR95-UT has been replaced with a new version with even greater throw, the SR95S-UT. Please see my dedicated review of that light for more info.

Welcome to my review of the Olight "mystery light", the new SR95:

This light may look a lot like the original member of the Search & Rescue line from Olight, the SR90. And it does share a lot of similarities (including the same emitter type, the Luminus SST-90). But there are also a significant number of differences, as you will see below.

Note the external styling of the SR95UT is identical. Scroll for a comparison of the parts that matter …

Manufacturer's Specifications for the SR95UT (where different from above)

Luminus SBT-90 LED

Output/Runtime: 60lm (48h), 300lm (10h), 1050lm(1h55min)

Peam Beam Intensity: 168,100 cd

Maximum throw of 820 meters

As you can see in the specs above, the SR95UT differs solely in the choice of emitter used (with corresponding differences in output and throw, which I will describe below).

As my SR95 was an engineering sample, I didn’t know initially what the final packaging would look like. The SR95UT came in full retail packaging (shown above), which includes the new-style presentation case shown on the X6 Marauder (i.e., two-toned black and silver, with metal hinges and closing flaps). There is an identification badge on the top, showing the model. Inside, you find the light with battery handle attached in cut-out foam, along with a charging power cord and transformer, shoulder carrying strap, spare o-rings, warranty card and manual.

All my build comments below refer jointly to the SR95 and SR95UT. I will discuss the emitters and beam patterns later in this review.

Note that the above weights don't tell the whole story – virtually the entire reduction in weight on the SR95 comes from the head. The new battery pack handle is on slightly lighter than the original model (i.e., SR95 battery is 511g vs 532g for the SR90/92 default battery). So that the means the SR95 head is about ~350g lighter than the SR90 head, despite being only about a centimeter narrower and shorter.

This difference in weight is noticeable, and contributes to giving the SR95 a more comfortable hand-feel (i.e., much better balanced than the SR90, which was front-heavy). It also brings the SR95 more in keeping with some of the smaller recent lights that were starting to narrow the gap to the original SR90's output and throw.

Let's start with the case:

You will note the model number is clearly identified on the label badge (i.e., SR95UT in this case). Overall, this case is very similar to the new style found on the Olight X6 Marauder.

Let's compare the heads. SR95 on the left, SR90 on the right:

And the rest of the SR95:

As before, the SR-series lights use a common battery pack handle, and interchangeable heads. There have been some changes to the battery pack (more on this in a moment).

Fit and finish has always been are excellent across the SR-series line, and the SR95 is no exception. Even though my sample is an engineering sample, the glossy black anodizing was flawless – there are no chips or scratches.

Lettering is sharp and clear as always, in bright white against the dark black background. Labels have thoughtfully been kept to a minimum, consistent with the other models of the line.

SR95UT:

The SR95UT has a unique serial number (reflecting its limited edition status).

The head is where the action is, of course. The bright blue on/off button is larger now, and the switch feel is a little "softer" (i.e., less force required). The switch is an electronic switch programmed to act like a reverse clicky (i.e., need to release it for the light to turn on). As such, there is a small standby current drain (see measurement later in this review)

The obvious major change to the head is the appearance of new cut-outs that let you see the heatsink assembly below. Olight appears to have been able to drastically reduce the heatsinking mass, while increasing the output of the light (compared to the original SR90). Scroll down to my runtimes to see temperature, output and runtime comparisons.

The other obvious difference is the reflector assembly, which is slightly smaller now. Scroll down to my beamshots section for pics and a discussion.

One small difference – the front-mounted gold-plated anchor ring for the shoulder strap rotates very easily on my SR95 sample. On most of the other SR-series lights I've tested, the ring was not perfectly flat. This meant it fit into the groove fairly firmly (i.e., could rotate, but was stiff). On the SR95, the ring spins freely – this can actually be rather annoying on the SR95 sample, as it never stops moving. The SR95UT's ring was more stable, as with earlier lights.

SR95 on the left, SR90 on the right:

Ridge detail has increased on the handle – the checkering rectangles are now about half the size they were previously. Grip was always decent, but I find it is actually improved now. This is good, since this is not a light you would want to drop on your foot. Battery capacity has increased, despite a slight drop in weight (see my runtimes later in this review)

The new pack is still fully compatible with the older models. I have tested the new battery pack handle on my SR90 and SR92, and all lights work on all battery packs.

The light can tailstand.

As always, the charger attaches at the tail-end of the light (just under that rubber protective cover). The battery read-out gauge works as before (press the bottom button, and up to 4 green LEDs light up to let you know the relative charge status of the battery). Note that you need to have the light off for at least a few seconds, and not plugged into the charger, for an accurate charge reading.

The charger is unchanged from the earlier SR-series lights, and still has the same model number.

User Interface

Turn the light on/off by pressing and releasing the big blue button near the head. The electronic switch acts like a reverse clicky.

To change modes, press and hold the switch for more than 1-2 secs. The light cycles between its three output modes, in repeating order (i.e., Lo > Med > Hi). Release the switch to select the mode you want. This is a slight departure from the earlier SR-series lights, which only had two modes (basically, Med and Hi, compared to the SR95's Lo/Med/Hi).

Press and release the electronic mode switch again to turn off (actually a Standby mode).

There is a "hidden" strobe mode, accessed by double-clicking the electronic switch.

Light has mode memory, and will return to the last constant output mode you set it to after turning off-on.

Light has a "lock-out function" to prevent accidental activation. Cycle through Lo > Med > Hi three time to temporarily deactivate the on/off switch. To unlock, click the switch three times or disconnect and re-attach the battery pack.

To charge the battery pack, connect the cable from the included AC charger/transformer to the port under the rubber cover on the tailcap. There is an LED status indicator on the transformer brick – red means the battery pack is charging, green means it fully charged (or not connected).

For more information on the light, including the build and user interface, please see my video overview:

For a quick video comparison of the SR95 to the SR95UT, and an overview of the retail packaging, see this additional video:

As always, videos were recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen.

PWM/Strobe

As before, there is no sign of PWM on any level – I believe the light is current-controlled as before.

I did detect some high frequency circuit noise on the Med level on my SR95, but it was not perceptible by eye (>20 kHz)

Strobe was a typical tactical strobe, 9.6Hz in my testing.

Standby Drain

Due to the electronic switch, there is always a standby drain when the battery is fully connected. I measured this as 53uA on my SR95 sample. I don't know for sure how the battery pack is configured, but the 7.4V and 7800mAh spec suggests a 2s3p arrangement (i.e. two series of three 2600mAh 18650 batteries in parallel). That would translate into 16.8 years before the pack would be fully drained - definitely not a problem.

To break these currents, you need to twist the battery pack typically at least one full turn (to break the double spring contact in the head).

Beamshots:

Let's start with the regular SR95:

The Luminus SST-90 emitter was well-centered at the base of a very large and deep reflector. The reflector shape has changed somewhat from the SR90 - the SR95 is narrower and deeper. The SR95 reflector had to be narrower, due to the smaller head. The finish is still mainly smooth, but there seems to be a very slight texturing to it now (this shows up as the slightly "fuzzy" looking pictures above). It should still provide excellent throw.

The SR95UT uses the Luminus SBT-90 emitter:

(as an aside, you can see they are still using the same black mask for the SST-90 die on the SR95UT's SBT-90).

The most obvious visual difference is that the big round emitter dome is missing on the SR95UT. In actual fact, the SBT-90 does have a covering, but it is very thin over the emitter die -resulting in improved light transmission for focusing. However, the maximum luminous flux of the SBT-90 is considerably lower than the current SST-90s (especially the premium bin used in the SR95). Note that the actual die size is the same (i.e., 3mm x 3mm).

Note also that this is different from end-user "de-doming", a popular SST-90 mod here. While this may increase the throw on your SR90/95 sample, there is a risk of catastrophic failure to the emitter die if you attempt this. Also, lifespan of the emitter is presumably considerably reduced (i.e., there's a reason why the covering dome is there in the first place). It stands to reason that if Luminus could make a stable SBT-90-style emitter with the higher luminous flux capacity of the SST-90, they would.

To help you compare, here are some side-by-side pics – first the SR95 on the left, SR90 on the right:

And now the SR95UT on the left, SR95 on the right:

And now, what you have all been waiting for. All lights are on their respective battery pack, on Max, about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences.

First thing to notice about the SR95 is that it is putting out more light overall than the SR90, but the max spillbeam width is narrower (i.e., the overall spill is brighter on the SR95, although it isn't as wide). The throw seems slightly improved as well, with the extra output likely compensating for the slightly smaller head/reflector (scroll down for the direct throw and output measures).

Don't be concerned about the apparent distortions in the corona around the hotspot on the SR95 – that's an artifact of the ridiculously close distance to the wall. In real life, the SR90 actually seems to have more artifacts in the corona at intermediate distances. Although you can't really see it, here are a couple of close ups of the hotspot at ~8m from the wall.

There is definitely more light in the corona of the SR95. Also, don't get hung up on the tint differences – some of that is just due to the camera's auto white balance. My SR95 is a touch on the warm side, and the SR90 was definitely on the cool side of cool white. But as always, YMMV …

As for the SR95UT, you can see that it puts out a brighter and much more tightly focused hotspot. Overall output is less, consistent with the specs.

For outdoor beamshots, these are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground).

Again, you can tell that the SR95 puts out more light overall than the older SR90. It also has a broader hotspot (due to the brighter corona again). Peak throw is only slightly improved on the SR95 (although the advantage is more noticeable in real life than the pics above).

The real stand-out is the SR95UT – thanks to the much more focused beam, you get a tighter and brighter hotspot. Overall spill is dimmer of course, in keeping with the lower overall lumen output.

Here is a blow-up of the center of the images, to allow you to compare the SR95 and SR95UT hotspots and coronas:

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables.

Note that my SR90 was from one of the first batches of this light, and relative output is likely to have increased since then. Olight currently cites 1750 lumens for the SR90, which is believable.

The SR95 clearly has more output and throw than my SR90. I suspect much of this is higher throw is the result of the higher output, as the SR95 reflector is slightly smaller. According to Olight, the extra output on the SR95 is due to a premium high output P-bin SST-90 used in this model.

As expected, the SR95UT has less output overall – although my ~1300 lumen estimate is higher than the manufacturer's specs. What is truly impressive is the throw – this is by far the furthest throwing reflector-based single-LED light I've tested to date.

Now, I know people are very sensitive to minor differences in raw lux @1m numbers for these lights. But as with lightboxes, you can only really compare throw values to other lights tested with the same meter, under common conditions (i.e., calibrations vary, sometimes widely). Up until now, the light meter used for beam intensity/distance measures in all my summary tables has been the budget Cer CT1330B (which is generally believed around here to commonly have lower numbers than some others lux meters). I recently picked up the slightly more expensive budget-model V&A VA8050, which gave me ~12-15% higher lux readings on average.

As I have no idea which of these lux meters is closer to the "true" reading, I have recently ordered a proper NIST-calibrated and certified Extech meter. This should resolve the matter, and I will update this review with new throw measures once it arrives. In the meantime, I will present both the Cer and V&A meter findings.

Ok, with the V&A meter, you can see the SR95UT just about breaks through the 200K lux @1m level. Again, we will have to wait for the NIST-calibrated meter for the most accurate measure. But it looks like my SR95UT samples exceeds on both output and throw measures (which makes sense – if my sample is brighter overall than spec, throw should also be increased).

UPDATE JUNE 13, 2012: There has been some discussion of how variable the SR90 can be in overall output. Here is a table showing how my estimate lumens stack up against manufacturer specs. You will note my SR90 is something of an outlier:

I believe this can be easily explained by the wide output range used for SST-90 emitter binning by Luminus. We are all used to Cree bins that typically only differ by a consistent ~7% over each bin range. In constrast, Luminus uses a variable bin range, sometimes exceeding a 20% difference within a given bin. That's a lot more variability, and means two lights with emitters from the same bin could be as much as 20% different in output. Moreover, the availability of a specific bin is never guaranteed by the light manufacturer - it is quite possible that they have had to use more than one defined output bin over the production run of the SR90. If so, that would translate into potentially up ~40% difference between samples.

You will note that my SR95 is at least 40% brighter overall than my early model SR90. Given that runtime on a common battery is not all that different (see analysis below), that would suggest the output gain has come from use of a higher output bin and not by driving the emitter harder. Given the variability reported for SR90 output, I strongly suspect that two different output bins were used over time. You could thus expect anywhere between ~1-40% difference between any two SR90 samples. My SR90 is likely just a lower performing member of the lower output bin used.

Output/Runtime Comparison:

First off, here is how the SR95 compares to the SR90 – both on its new battery pack, and on the older SR90 pack - in an estmated lumen scale.

As you can see, not only has output increased on the SR95, but so has runtime.

The output increase is likely due mainly to the higher SST-90 output bin (although it may also be driven slightly harder too). The longer runtime is clearly due to increased capacity in the battery pack (i.e., compare the SR95 head on the different battery packs). I would estimate SR95 battery pack capacity has increased by up to ~20% from the earlier SR90/92 battery pack.

The SR90 maintained a perfectly flat stabilization, but my SR95 shows a slight drop-off over time. This made me wonder about heat, so I did a comparison with a thermal probe in place, as illustrated below.

The black and gray lines represent temperature, and should be read off the right-hand y-axis scale.

The SR95 maintains perfectly flat thermal regulation (around ~38oC), as the output drops slightly over time. In contrast, the SR90's surface temperature slowly rises over the course of the run, reaching a max around ~37oC. This is actually what I expected to see, given the differing regulation patterns in my lightbox.

The take-home message here is that the SR95 does NOT run that much hotter than the SR90, despite the greatly reduced mass in the head. Recall that total head mass has dropped by ~350g (i.e., a full third of the SR90's head weight).

So, in other words, with the SR95 you get greater output (due mainly to a higher flux bin), in a head that has a third less mass than the SR90, with only a nominal increase in surface temperature.

Here is how the SR95 and SR95UT compare to the high-output competition, using my standard relative lightbox output scale:

And finally, here they are against the really high-output lights, like the Olight X6 and the Titanium Innovations L35 HID (back in an estimated lumen output scale):

SR95 performance is excellent for a SST-90-equipped light driven to these levels. Note however that my runtimes for the SR95 were slightly lower than Olight's specs.

For the SR95UT, runtime was generally comparable to the SR95 – just with lower overall output (as you would expect from the SBT-90 emitter). But my output estimates for the SR95UT are noticeably higher than Olight's specs (and thus consistent with the slightly lower runtime observed).

UPDATE DECEMBER 23, 2012: I have done a few more thermal measurement tests, without fan cooling, in my more recent SR95S-UT review. The relevant observation for the standard SR95 is shown below:

As you can see, without fan cooling, the SR95 gets very warm - nearly 65 degrees Celsius, over the course of the run (with fan cooling, it never reached even 40 degrees). But the main thing to observe above is that the SR95 just slowly drops in output on Hi - but at an accelerated rate when no cooling is applied. In constrast, the new SR95S-UT has a thermal step-down feature, which kicked in once the surface temperature reached the low 50s (degrees Celsius). See that review for more details.

Potential Issues

Due to the electronic switch, all the SR-series lights have a stand-by current when the battery is fully connected – but it is negligible at 53uA on my sample. The "lock-out" mode is likely even lower. You can break these currents by unscrewing the battery handle by a full-turn.

While the SR95 is greatly reduced in weight from the SR90 (and is better balanced), it is still a substantial light. I recommend use of the included should strap.

Recharge time for a depleted battery was about 5 hours in my testing (i.e. from the point when the protection circuit has been tripped, to when the green light comes on the charging transformer). This is not unreasonable, given the increased storage capacity of the pack.

Due to the cut-outs in the head, cleaning may be an issue.

Preliminary Observations

So, let's see if I can sum this up simply: the SR95 is smaller and lighter than the SR90, but with more output and throw, and even long-lasting battery performance. Oh, and it doesn't run any hotter either.

That is not usually the kind of opening paragraph I get to string together. All things being equal, something typically has to give (i.e. if you shrink a reflector, throw drops – if you increase the output, heat rises and runtime drops – etc.). The reason this is not the case here is that Olight has made simultaneous improvements across the board. Specifically:

Output has increased by using a premium P flux bin (and not by over-driving, thus sparing heat and runtime)

Thermal management has been significantly improved allowing a reduction in size and weight, without significantly increased heat.

Since the weight has been reduced mainly from the head, the SR95 feels a lot better balanced now, with a more appropriate center of gravity near the switch.

The greater output more than compensates for the reduction in the reflector size, so overall throw is still increased (though not by as much as overall output has increased)

The battery pack capacity has increased by up to ~20%, with a slight reduction in weight. Significantly, the new pack is still fully compatible with the older SR90/92 heads, and even the charger remains constant.

The circuit has been updated with a true Lo mode now (still has Med/Hi and hidden Strobe, as before)

The build features a more rakish design with cut-outs showing some the head internals. Oh, and they have tossed in a bigger switch button.

These changes are a welcome update to the line. Frankly, some of the competition had been creeping into the SR90's output space – providing nearly as good output and/or throw, but in a smaller, more portable size.

Of course, what this also means is that there is basically no reason to buy a SR90 anymore – the SR95 is an improvement in just about every sense. I can only presume Olight plans to discontinue the older SR90 model.

That being said, is it worth it to you upgrade from a SR90? I am always loathe to make specific recommendations, as your needs may vary. You have to ask yourself - do I really need the extra couple of hundred lumens for a full 2000 lumen light? Or the extra 10 mins of runtime on Hi? Or the small increase in raw lux @1m? Or the extra Lo mode? Maybe yes, maybe no. Personally, the main compelling feature for me is the 20% lower overall weight and the much better balance. In my testing, it makes the SR95 far more comfortable to carry around than its predecessor.

Without a doubt, the SR95UT has greatest throw I've seen to date in a reflectored light. The SR95 still provides greater throw than the original SR90, but is mainly distinguished by the increased overall output. If you are interested in maximum throw, and are willing to forgo some overall output, the SR95UT is the clear throw king at the moment.

UPDATE DECEMBER 22, 2012: The previous limited-edition SR95-UT has been replaced with a new version with even greater throw, the SR95S-UT. Please see my dedicated review of that light for more info.

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Excellent review again! Though this may beat the SR90 in every area, I think the SR90 deserves a tribute for holding the position it did so long in this day of rapidly evolving lights! I'm picturing a CPF get together with melodramatic music and some cake... both lemon and berry filling in a white cake

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Nice review!

It's a better light than SR90, but where are all the extra lumen go? 600 extra lumens but only slight increase in throw.
The UT is rated 1000 lumen, losing the dome should only lose 30%, should still have 1400lumen on the UT, I wonder if the UT is driven less than 9Amp or using a lower bin?

Can't wait to see the review on UT. SR90 de-dome get 180K lux/1300 OTF, The UT might not be able to beat that.

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Originally Posted by ma_sha1

It's a better light than SR90, but where are all the extra lumen go? 600 extra lumens but only slight increase in throw.

The reflector has a different shape (i.e. narrower and deeper), and has a slight level of texturing. That must explain why most of those extra lumens found their way into the spill. In real life, what you notice most is the brighter corona/spill at intermediate distances on the SR95.

Here are some extra pics, to help compare the reflectors:

Originally Posted by rickypanecatyl

I think the SR90 deserves a tribute for holding the position it did so long in this day of rapidly evolving lights! I'm picturing a CPF get together with melodramatic music and some cake... both lemon and berry filling in a white cake

A retirement party for the SR90!

There certainly seems to be a lot interest in the "Ultimate Thrower" UT version of the new SR95, even though the overall output is cut in half. FYI, I understand the SR95UT will only be a limited run (likely limited to the availability of the emitter).

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Originally Posted by rufus001

Got mine Thursday.

lol well its going to be a while before a bunch of people get their sr95s and whatnot and we find out the nuances of the light or if there are any small issues olight still has to work out and make small revisions etc

and i only paid $290 on ebay for the sr90... not quite 450

STILL i think its hilarious that i finally pull the trigger and the next day this pops up

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Yeah I hear ya guys! I Scored a SR90 as well for $220 but I love it! It's a beast o a light. I dedomed it as well and it's pretty awesome. So I'm not too disappointed, though I haven't heard of any rumors of this new light until I read this thread. Looking forward to the SR95UT!

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8 NIV)

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Originally Posted by djans1397

Yeah I hear ya guys! I Scored a SR90 as well for $220 but I love it! It's a beast o a light. I dedomed it as well and it's pretty awesome. So I'm not too disappointed, though I haven't heard of any rumors of this new light until I read this thread. Looking forward to the SR95UT!

yes i am looking forward to the UT as well, i did not hear anything either until this thread

from the looks of it this light looks like the sr90 but smaller, bigger battery and slightly more output (it almost looks like they were trying to shrink the size, not improve the output by leaps and bounds) but the beamshots will sort all of that out!

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Outstanding review!!!

I realy must have the SR95 Intimidator even though it might take a while before it´s available at my dealer. I don´t know what the retail price will be at my dealer,but if i can´t afford to buy it my self i will definitely put this flashlight on the top of my wish list of chrismas gifts.

I look forward to read/watch a review of the SR95UT and see beamshots of it.

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

So finally, after 2.5 years, my Olight SR90 has been knocked off its perch in terms of the output & throw combination for a single led mass-produced light (ie. not semi-custom M@glights) by Olight.

I bought it more as a proof-of-concept for how leds were starting to encroach in HID territory rather than for a practical light to use. It will occupy a proud space in my display cabinet for many more years.

We are all flotsam and jetsam being carried by a relentless tide towards our ultimate fate!

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

I re-read the B&L of the SST-90, there isn't an 'O' bin, because that might be confused with '0', right?
SBT-90 is the same size as SST, just the optical size is smaller-from sans dome. In your 'Note', it would helpful to add 'apparent' before size.
The new heatsink design seems to use much smaller apertures, if crud/dirt/mud/rocks [pebbles] get in there, how easy is it to clean/extract?
20% more battery capacity, 2200 to 2600mAh 18650s?

I'd like to see the SR51 get upgrade to SR55, with U3 xm-l and 1,000 lumens, for $150; for use mere mortals, and not destined for [exclusive] institutional use.
Also for this hypothetical SR55: 'fuzzy' smooth reflector instead of OP, improved grip, improved heatsink, and possibly 3x 18650-but that might entail a larger diameter body.

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

though I haven't heard of any rumors of this new light until I read this thread.

Yeah, first I heard of it was two weeks ago when Olight asked me to review it. They certainly kept the wraps on this one pretty well

Originally Posted by vinhnguyen54

What do you guys think about the new P Bin in the original SR90? I think this could be the most desirable performance setup... oh well....

It is interesting to me how most here seem focused on max throw. I guess maybe it is the extreme size of these lights that makes people want to squeeze out the most throw as technically possible?

But having tested a lot of high-output lights, I'm thinking we've reach the point where it doesn't matter so much beyond a certain point - I can't actually see the things these lights are illuminating at multiple-hundred yard distances. Given that, I'd much rather go for the lighter weight and better balance of the SR95 than a SR90 build with this output bin in it. Squeezing a few more peak throw lumens isn't really worth it to me.

Originally Posted by easilyled

I bought it more as a proof-of-concept for how leds were starting to encroach in HID territory rather than for a practical light to use.

This is a good point, and one I've been reminded of as I've lugged the two lights around this past week - I can actually carry the SR95 like a flashlight.

What I mean by that is that I find myself walking with it in a traditional underhand grip all the time, even when off (i.e., my thumb on the button, the light pointed straight ahead of me). With the SR90, I find myself carrying it like a one-sided dumbell (i.e., grip the body, but the head is pointed to the ground) - I only hoist it up and point ahead of me when it is on.

The SR95 actually feels like a real flashlight, not a demonstration concept.

Originally Posted by jmpaul320

cant wait to see side by side comparison of sr90 vs sr95

Coming soon! My subjective impression is the SR95 has a more generally useful beam, due to the extra light in the corona at intermediate distances. But I haven't taken it out to the 100+ yard level yet.

Originally Posted by MichaelW

SBT-90 is the same size as SST, just the optical size is smaller-from sans dome. In your 'Note', it would helpful to add 'apparent' before size.

Thank, I'll look up the specs on the SBT ... for now, I've taken out the size reference.

The new heatsink design seems to use much smaller apertures, if crud/dirt/mud/rocks [pebbles] get in there, how easy is it to clean/extract?

I've just made a general comment about cleaning could be an issue. Subjectively, I don't think it will be too bad, as the assembly underneath seems fairly well sealed (and the openings are large enough you could insert things to flush out any accummulated debris). But I too would appreciated more info from the the manufacturer, or other users experiences.

20% more battery capacity, 2200 to 2600mAh 18650s?

AFAIK, Olight never gave the capacity specs of the original SR90/92 battery pack. This current pack is rated at 7800mAh, and is about 20% longer-lasting than the old pack. It is hard to extrapolate, not knowing exactly how it is constructed.

I'd like to see the SR51 get upgrade to SR55, with U3 xm-l and 1,000 lumens, for $150; for use mere mortals, and not destined for institutional use.

Yeah, I think a ~1000 lumens and a deep reflector for reasonble throw is more than fine for actual use in the real world, even S&R. That's why I keep my SR51 (with primaries) in the trunk of my car, not my SR90.

Of course, you are talking to a guy that still uses a pocket light on a ~80 lumen output mode with a diffuser for walking the dog ...

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

I too have an SR51 and love it! It has become my "EDC" dog walking light at night. Great combo of throw AND spill. An upgrade of this model would definitely find its way into my home! Lugging around my SR90 has mostly been with the supplied strap and even then it still carries like a big brick hanging off my shoulder. Looking forward to beam shots Selfbuilt!!! Thanks for the awesome review as always

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8 NIV)

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

now i must ask the next question (may be getting ahead of myself with this one)

sr95 de-domed?

Originally Posted by selfbuilt

Coming soon! My subjective impression is the SR95 has a more generally useful beam, due to the extra light in the corona at intermediate distances. But I haven't taken it out to the 100+ yard level yet.

that makes sense... sr95 ad is only claiming an additional 10 yards of "throw" over the sr90, all the extra power must be going into the spill - which would make sense that they develop the UT model for us throw junkies

speaking of which my sr90 just shipped from ebay today lol. going to play with this one for a few months while reviews and opinions propagate of both the sr95 and UT

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Selfbuilt,

I totally understand by what you mean having a light that throws up to a certain level would be adequate. As a matter of fact even a Scorpion V2 has plenty of good throw already. And for general use I prefer 100% pure flood! But it's just nice to have at least one light in your collection that you know will throw to extends that your eyes can't see anyways. A lot of SR90 buyers I know buys it just for the thrills of throw and output and not much of its practicality or it's intended purpose.

I bought a lot of light based on your review. The most recent would be a Thrunite TN31! I LOVE IT! For my use it's impractical as heck but I love the throw! With what said I would think it would be a cool idea if the heads are interchangeable on these monster Olight SR lights so that we can have throw or massive spill. They might sell less light this way but sell more accessories. I am sorry for really going off the topic on the SR95. I will wait to see beamshots of the TN31 VS these bad boys to decided if I need more novelty lights. :-)

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Originally Posted by jmpaul320

now i must ask the next question (may be getting ahead of myself with this one)

sr95 de-domed?

The UT version is effectively a de-domed version of the SR95. It uses an emitter with the same die but no dome. I think it maintains a thin optical silicone layer however, so it should have a longer life than simply a de-domed SST-90

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

Originally Posted by RedForest UK

The UT version is effectively a de-domed version of the SR95. It uses an emitter with the same die but no dome. I think it maintains a thin optical silicone layer however, so it should have a longer life than simply a de-domed SST-90

Re: Olight SR95 (SST-90) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

"I bought it more as a proof-of-concept for how leds were starting to encroach in HID territory rather than for a practical light to use."

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree on this one. I have a 6 yr old 75w HID (Barn Burner) that, to me at least, is more practical to carry than a supersize flashlight style torch, puts out about 8500L and throws almost 1,000,000 lux at 1m (tested by me at 950k+). With a new battery pack it could get about 1:15 runtime. My biggest surprise when using this light for the first time is how compact, lightweight and easy to carry it is.

To put that in perspective, you could stack *8* SR-95s together all aimed at the same target and not out throw a Barn Burner. And it would take 4 of them stacked to equal the total output.

I firmly believe there will be no LED lights built anytime soon (in our lifetime even?) that will equal the performance of a Barn Burner with equal portability. Of course LEDs do have their own advantages.